"Any update on Marco?" Nat, Aly and Jamie were at a kids' cafe for their usual Sunday date.
"The lawyers are in the process of sorting out the details for the restraining order against him. You were right about your company's lawyers being highly capable." Aly was assured given how efficient and detailed they were.
"We still can't let our guard down, I don't want to be pessimistic but we never know what may happen behind the scenes. I'll ask the lawyers if there's anything else we can do." Nat reminded Aly.
"They're doing enough for me already, Nat. Anymore and I'll have to rob a bank to pay them for all the work they're doing outside." Aly shook her head.
"Don't worry about the money, I'll take care of it." Nat assured.
"You sure? Given their credentials and experience, they won't be cheap..." Aly was worried.
"Daddy has a lot of money, Mummy." Jamie joined the conversation.
"Really? I didn't know..." Aly laughed at Jamie's comment.
"Grandpa owns the company that Daddy works at. Karine says Daddy is going to take over the company one day. A huge company!" Jamie spread her arms wide to emphasise on the size.
"Jamie!" Nat was flustered at Jamie's sudden TMI.
"Your Dad owns Lee Holdings? And you are the only son of the company? Not just the random intern who worked his way up to General Manager of the Philippines' HQ?" Aly bombarded Nat with questions.
"Not the way I thought you'd find out but yes my Dad does own the company, yes I am the only son but no, I'm not inheriting it just because I'm my Dad's son." Nat figured it was time to come clean.
"So...did you actually work your way up? Or was it your father?" Aly was curious.
"Well, only the higher-ups in the board knows my real identity...but I can't deny the fact that being the son of my father has accorded my certain privileges. I'm doing what I can on my own and hopefully one day, I'll be able to convince the board that I'm worthy." Nat was well aware of his privilege but it was also the reason why he worked so hard in the office.
"Why didn't you tell me when we were dating? Were you scared that I was with you for money?" Aly felt a little betrayed.
"No! I was trying to find a right time to tell you but then you left and...Sorry, I wasn't blaming you. It's just that I was still trying to figure out a way to build my own path then and wanted as little people to know about my family as possible..." Nat didn't mean to hide it from Aly.
"So you're technically richer and more influential than Marco and Anthony?" Aly raised her eyebrow at Nat.
"I wouldn't say that the money and influence belongs to me...although I do have my networks and contacts. Other than that, I'm still the same old Nat." Nat shrugged.
"You obviously don't act like the heir to a multi-billion company...I mean, your fancy Mercedes Benz aside, you wear mid-tier suits and dress Jamie up in Gap and Zara?" Aly would never have expected.
"Well, I have the infamous black card? Does that count? Besides, there's no rule that I can't wear decently priced suits and dress my daughter, who grows at rocket-speed, in Gap and Zara?" Nat chuckled. He rarely touches his black card anyways.
"I mean...to think Marco and I thought that we would have a chance at taking Jamie away from you based on the assumption that we were in a better financial position to raise her..." Aly was embarrassed.
"Well, money is important but nothing beats pure love and dedication when raising a child, Aly. Children don't care about the $300 dollar dress you dress them in or the $100 toy you get them, they treasure the time they spend with you, the memories that they make with the people who love them the most and whom they love." Nat reminded Aly.
YOU ARE READING
Beneath The Surface
Storie d'amoreAika Robredo was a poster child: with a Masters from Harvard, a respectable career trajectory and dependable eldest daughter of the Robredo family. Everyone was telling Aika that all she had left to do was finding her 'dream guy' to settle down with...
